Notes on Lactuca saligna in Iran

Abstract

In the identification process of weed materials available in "IRAN" herbarium, a specimen belonging to the genus <em>Lactuca</em> (Asteraceae) had the following characteristics: Plant annual, many stemmed from base; stem erect-slightly procumbent, slender, glabrous, whitish and leafy. Basal leaves dried; stem leaves ca. 7 × 0.5 cm, glabrous, linear-lanceolate, entire at margin, sessile, auriculate, auricles small, forming a hastate leaf base. Inflorescence spike-like; heads in the axils of reduced leaves, shortly pedicelate, solitary or in clusters of 2-3; involucres narrow, ca. 12 mm long; florets turning purplish when dry. Achenes ca. 4 × 1 mm, light brown, flattened, inversely ovate, many-ribbed, in upper part provided with short hairs, with filiform 3-3.5 mm long beak; pappus white, deciduous.